Giuseppe Verdi, Attila

Program and cast

Giuseppe Verdi:
ATTILA
opera
in Italian, with Hungarian and English subtitles

Saturday, August 12, 2023 20:00 (rain day: August 13)

Program time: approx. 2 hours 50 minutes, with an intermission

Attila, King of the Huns: John Relyea

Choreographer: János Feledi
Costume designer: Centaur
Lighting and visual designer: János Madarász "Madár"
Creative consultant: Kata Dobó

Director: András Aczél
Producer, artistic director: Teodóra Bán

The mystical figure of King Attila the Hun, lost in the mists of legends, is surrounded by many, now unsolvable secrets. His story is a constant source of inspiration for the creators of posterity. Historians of certain conquered peoples refer to him as a cruel, bloodthirsty barbarian. In Western Europe, it became a symbol of wild barbarism and was called the "Whip of God".

However, this is refuted by the rhetorician diplomat and historian Priscus (448-449), who was in the court of the Hun ruler as a member of an embassy, and whose account can be considered an authentic source. In his writings, Attila is a powerful and irresistible Latin-educated, charismatic diplomat; a sharp-witted, thoughtful ruler.

This impressive personality was able to unite and control the small peoples of Europe under his power in his vast empire that stretched from the Caspian Sea to Western Europe. He did not persecute anyone for his faith. "He showed himself to be compassionate towards the supplicants and treated those who surrendered to him graciously." This mythical ancestor of ours on the scale of Alexander the Great also captured Verdi's imagination. He portrays him as a conqueror, but a man with a world of nuanced emotions. Attila is a humane ruler who can not only win, but also recover from his losses, who is genuinely touched by love. Forced to defeat, the princess of Aquila is taken prisoner to the Hun camp. The girl apparently joins the army of the conqueror. Attila notices the princess, and later even falls in love with her. Odabella, on the other hand, has other plans for Attila.

The text of the work was partly written by Temistocle Solera and partly by Francesco Maria Piave. The story was based on Zacharias Werner's 1809 drama, Attila, König der Hunnen. From the Paris Opera to the Metropolitan Opera, it is played all over the world. The premiere of the performance took place on March 17, 1846 at the La Fenice opera house in Venice. It was first performed in Hungary on July 7, 1972, and then on July 7, 2004 at the Margitsziget Open Air Stage.

Almost twenty years later, in August 2022, Verdi's magically alive work was performed again at the Margitsziget Theater, which our theater will stage again in 2023. This year, the role of Attila is played by Canadian bass-baritone opera singer John Relyea. The performance is a real treat for opera fans. In addition to the wonderful sounds, the special visuals of the show also guarantee an unforgettable experience.